Everything that you need along with the student assignment books is packaged up and ready to send to one special winner. The studio decor package includes the wall poster, the theme title and tagline, the theme verse, a set of student markers to place on the poster, and a set of laminated tickets that the students will be collecting throughout the year.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below. The winner will be drawn using a random number generator next Friday, August 26, at noon (CST) and the package will be in the mail the next day!

The book is full color and beautifully illustrated – sure to capture the attention of a young animal-loving audience! As a long-time music educator in both private and classroom settings, this book is an innovative addition to the other materials she has created to inspire a love of music in budding musicians.

The story is a creative weaving of Randy Raccoon’s nighttime escapades with a glimpse into the life of one of history’s greatest composers: George Frideric Handel. I was surprised that more of Handel’s story wasn’t included, but there is a list of “Fun Facts About George Frideric Handel” at the back of the book and the accompanying lesson plans (available as a free download upon providing your name and email address) cover some additional interesting information. Also, it’s helpful to note that the book assumes that the reader is listening to the correlating audio file (included in the free download) and references the music that they are hearing. If you have a device handy for little ones to play and follow along, I can envision them experiencing hours of enjoyment listening to the lively audio drama. This is a fun introduction to the world of Classical music, and hopefully will whet young appetites to explore and learn more!

Sherry has kindly offered to give away one free copy of Fireworks in the Night to a Music Matters Blog reader! Just leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing to win. A winner will be drawn using a random number generator at noon (CST) on Friday, June 10, 2016.

Even though I believe that a good teacher can effectively utilize any method or curriculum to help a student achieve success, there is something invigorating about having well-designed resources that capture a teacher’s philosophy and vision for their teaching. That’s how I’ve felt about Piano Safari ever since it’s debut a couple of years ago. It has been the perfect complement to my desire to help students develop creative freedom, technical ability, and musical artistry at the piano while also building a solid foundation of reading and rhythm skills.

I don’t know who has been awaiting the release of Level 3 with more anticipation – me or my students – but it’s finally here! The pack includes a Technique Book, a Repertoire Book, and a set of Sight Reading Cards. I’ve had a blast looking through the materials and preparing to teach it. It’s also exciting to see some of the same Classical Education principles that I’m discovering are essential for true learning applied in this method. Namely, repetition, both of content and of processes, is necessary in order for students to attain mastery. I love how this is emphasized in the Technique Book through the use of cool images that the students are instructed to color one small section at a time for every accurate playing of a scale.

For this reason, I see the Technique Book being used not so much sequentially, but more in a spiral learning approach where a student continues to revisit the previously learned scales and exercises to develop increased speed, fluency, and familiarity. The Technique Book also references the animal techniques to instruct the students how to play each scale. The visuals are attractive and helpful while maintaining a clean, uncluttered page layout. I also appreciate the various practice strategies emphasized throughout the book. Another great feature is the way that each introduction of a new scale/key includes the same process as previously learned, while also incorporating a new accompaniment style, demonstrating to the student how the chords and chord progressions can be used in a musical way. All of this is then woven together into the Technique Extravaganza at the end of the book that gives the student an opportunity to showcase all that they have learned in a fun, energetic duet!

The Level 3 Repertoire Book is a fabulous compilation of original compositions, duets, and Classical pieces in their original form. The pieces are in major and minor keys (C,G,F, and a,e,d), and there are helpful bits of information and questions for the student to consider, along with brief biographical sketches about the various composers. This thoughtfully designed book will leave students well-prepared to continue their exploration of every musical style!

Last, but not least, perhaps the most versatile element of the Piano Safari method – the Sight Reading Cards. Whether or not you use the method in its entirety, these cards are a must-have for any piano teacher! We use them in a variety of ways in our studio, and they have done wonders to help my students improve their rhythm and sight reading skills in a sequential and manageable way. Each card includes a 4-measure musical excerpt for the student to play hands together that incorporates dynamics, articulations, and the rhythms they have learned. There is also a single line of rhythm only that can be tapped, played on single notes, or used for a musical improvisation.

Now, for the best part! If you’d like a chance to check out Piano Safari Level 3 for yourself, Julie and Katie have graciously offered to give away a free Level 3 pack to one Music Matters Blog reader (a $45.50 value!). Just leave a comment below to be entered. One winner will be chosen using a random number generator at noon (CST) on Friday, June 3, 2016. This could be just the thing to re-energize your teaching this summer or in preparation for next fall!

#21 – Lisa Smith
#32 – Alondra McEldowney
Congratulations, Lisa and Alondra! You both should have received an email from me with instructions on how to claim your copy of “Little Gems for Piano” by Paula Dreyer.

But, thanks to Paula’s generosity, everyone has a chance to get their own copy of one or both of her books. For the next 30 days she is running a promotional on her website and at Amazon (Volume 1 and Volume 2) so you can receive 25% off of her books! Thanks, Paula!

Thanks to all who participated in our week of giveaways! Below is a list of those whose names were drawn for each prize. But even if you didn’t win, I have a special gift for you. You can get 50% off any practice incentive theme of your choice! Just enter the coupon code WINNER! when you checkout to have the discount applied. The coupon is good until next Saturday, December 19.

One of the highlights in our piano studio is the announcement of the new practice incentive theme for the year! This is something I started doing about 15 years ago and it’s amazing the excitement that it generates, along with the determination to work toward specific goals. I always incorporate 4 Components when I’m developing a theme that makes it accessible and appealing to students of all ages and levels. Even though I run mine through the entire year, if you’re looking for a way to jump start the new year after Christmas break, a new studio theme could be just the thing!

In light of that, I’m offering one free practice incentive theme of your choice to a Music Matters Blog reader! Just leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing. A winner will be chosen on Friday, December 11, at noon (CST) using a random number generator. Check out the 10 practice incentive themes now to see which one you would like to use in your studio!

Also, having just participated in George Litterst’s live webinar on Making Sense Out of Digital Scores, I resisted the urge to print out the 50 pages and instead gave them a run-through on my iPad mini. True to past experience, I thoroughly enjoyed the selection of very accessible intermediate arrangements. I particularly liked the cool factor of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” If you’ll forgive my less-than-stellar rendition of it, you can watch my recording of the arrangement (even though it’s not polished hopefully it will give you a good idea of the style):

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for…James has kindly offered to giveaway one copy of Sacred Christmas, Volume 2, to a Music Matters Blog reader! Just leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing. Winners will be drawn on Friday, December 11, at noon (CST) using a random number generator. This will provide some great playing time for you or an intermediate level piano student in your studio!